STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, June 6, 2003 -- ZENON Environmental Inc., an environmental technology company that has developed an energy efficient, innovative, compact and forward-looking membrane concept, is the 2003 recipient of the prestigious Stockholm Industry Water Award.
ZENON's ZeeWeed( membrane technology has been applied to the treatment of water at all stages of the water cycle. The unique membrane successfully removes pathogenic micro-organisms which are not eliminated by conventional water treatment methods and is therefore regarded as a valuable contribution towards safeguarding potable water supplies.
The ZeeWeed( membrane technology, which resembles a bundle of seaweeds sweeping in the treatment tank, can be efficiently used in industrial as well as municipal plants and leads to significantly higher treated water quality than traditional methods. The process technology has low space requirement. It can be efficiently combined with other biological and chemical processes, for existing and new plants alike.
The award, given by the Stockholm Water Foundation in co-operation with the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and World Business Council for Sustainable Development, recognises the company's unique membrane concept, which allows for low-energy filtration similar to human body membranes.
"We especially appreciate the constant improvement of the method towards a minimum of energy consumption with a maximum of filtration rate," said Mr. Björn Rosén, chairman of the nominating committee. "I anticipate that the ZeeWeed( membrane technology will not only have a major impact on future technologies globally, but it will also open new avenues in handling water scarcity problems and implementing sustainable water strategies focusing on re-use, re-cycle and closing material cycles."
A unique membrane component
The core of the process is the ZeeWeed( hollow fibre, which consists of an internal strong support to provide strength and flexibility and an outer polymeric membrane with pores in the ultrafiltration range. Bundled together, these fibres float in a tank while a low vacuum pressure effectively pulls purified water through the membrane and within the hollow fibres out of the tank.
The concept, devised about a decade ago,led the company to devote all of its activities to this rapidly developing new technology. Today more than three hundred applications in several continents have proven the benefits of the innovation.
The award, to be presented on August 13 during the annual World Water Week in Stockholm, recognises corporate development of water and wastewater process technologies as well as contributions to environmental improvement through improved performance in production processes.
The Stockholm Industry Water Award was established in 2000 by the Stockholm Water Foundation in co-operation with the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
A seven-member international Award Committee with representatives of the Founders of the Award as well as Global Water Partnership, International Water Association, and research and development are appointing the Laureate Company.
For more information about the Stockholm Industry Water Award, please contact Mr. Björn Rosén, phone: +46-480-42 12 50, E-mail: [email protected] or Mr. Ulf Ehlin, phone: +46-8-52213970, E-mail: [email protected] See also www.siwi.org.
For further technical details about ZENON's ZeeWeed( membrane technology, contact Dr.Andrew Benedek, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ZENON, phone (905) 465-3070, e-mail: [email protected].
SIWI - Independent, Leading-Edge Water Competence for Future-Oriented Action
The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) is a policy think tank that contributes to international efforts to combat the world's escalating water crisis. SIWI advocates future-oriented, knowledge-integrated water views in decision making, nationally and internationally, that lead to sustainable use of the world's water resources and sustainable development of societies.
